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y C.AH. HALL. Improvement in Steam Vacuum-Pumps.

"hwuntov, ZZM/JMWW. gege@ we Mme-Sm UNITED STATES PATENT @Errea CHARLES n; HALL, or NEW Youn, N; r.

specineariam forming 5m of Letters Patent No. 131,522, dared september 24, i872.

CASE H.

" have invented a certain Improvement in Steam Pumping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification: p y p To distinguish this from other inventions of my own, which are somewhat analogous, I will designate this particular invention by the letter H.

The apparatus belongs to that class of steam-pumps in which the solid working parts are small, relatively, to the capacity of the.

apparatus, and the steam is caused to act by direct pressure upon the water. There is a marked gain by the reduction of rubbing surfaces and the great efficiency and small cost of the apparatus.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention. The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure lis a vertical section, and Fig. 2 is a plan view. p

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

Al A2 are vessels of equal size, formed of castiron, in one piece, and adapted to resist a strong internal pressure,.as also to resist the external pressure of the atmosphere when a vacuum is formed therein. E is a steam-pipe which communicates with a boiler, not represented. The steam-pipe E is of small internal diameter, or there must be at some point in the steam-connection a narrow passage through which the steam cannot flow readily except in a very contracted current. O' is a pipe of sufficient size communicating with the tank or well from which thelwater is to be taken; and P is a delivery-pipe adapted to convey away the water under pressure and discharge it at a higher point or wherever it is desired to force the water. The chambers A1 and A2 are filled alternately with steam and water. The action is self-controllin g. When the steam is excluded from a chamber the water is received from the pipe O and fills it. Meantime the'opposite chamber is being emptied of its water by the steam entering at its top and pressing downward on the surface with such force as to discharge the water outward through the discharge-pipe. When the water is thusy expelled the reception of steam is cut off and the chamber is soon again filled with water. While one chamber is being filled with "water, the other is expelling its water. The

valves e1 e2 control the admission of steam to the chambers from the steam-pipe F..v The valves are mounted, as represented in the chain F, which runs over the pulleys il i2 above, and also is strained around the pulleys hl h2 in the lower portion of the apparatus. The chain not only carries the valves el c2, but also large water-induction valves o1 o2. The discharge-valves p1 p2 are mounted in separate chambers on oppositeV sides of the apparatus. The water, after being delivered through the valves 121 p2, is admitted into a single discharge-pipe, P.

The action of the apparatus depends on the suddenness with which a vacuum is formed when a chamber is nearly emptied. Supposing the valve el to be closed and the valve o1 to be open, the vacuum in the chamber A1 induces a rise of water upward through the pipe O and past the valve o1 until the chamber A1 is filled. It is now ready for a change in the position of all the valves by the rendering of the chain F around the several pulleys l i2 h1 h2, which movement will shut off the steam from the chamber A2 and admit the steam to the chamber A1. Prior to this change of position of the valves, or; in other words, while the parts are in the positions represented, the steam, flowing past the valve e2 into the chamber A2, forces out the water from this latter chamber, forcing it upward past the delivery-valve p2. The desired movement of the chain F and the consequent change of position of all the valves is rapid and reliable when it is once initiated. It is' initiated by a sudden lowering of the pressure of the steam in the chamber A2, due to a sudden condensation of the steam when the watersurface is disturbed. It will be readily understood that the presence of the steam pressing upon the surface of the water in a vessel induces a heating of the immediate surface; but the hot particles at the surface do not mingle with the colder ones below. They remain, by

2 fiancee which have become heated and lie upon its top are not much disturbed, and the condensation of steam is very slight. When, however, the sinking of the water-surface has progressed beyond a certain line, which is the upper edge of the discharge-passage O, steam commences to escape instead of the water. This would induce a ow of the steam up past the discharge-valve p2 into the discharge-pipe P, but itnever in practice escapes to any considerable extent. The moment it commences to escape it disturbs the water-surface, and, by removing the heated stratum thereon, induces such an active condensation of the steam in the entire chamber as to form a partial vacuum; and this, by the upward ioW of the water through the pipe 0 into the chamber, acting against the valve o2, induces a movement of the chain F and the desired change of position of all the valves. That is to say, the large valve o2 presents so ample a surface to the pressure of the water that it is easily lifted by the pressure of the water inward from the pipe O, and rises as high as it is allowed by the chain F. The movement of the chain, thus induced, closes the steam-valve e2, and also the water-valve 01, and opens the steamvalve c1. The operations now proceed in the chambers until another change of position of the chain F, and consequently of all the valves, is induced in the same manner as has been heretofore described. The arrangement of the chain F and'of the several pulleys avoids the necessity for any stuffing-box or packing. There are no tightly-rubbing surfaces, and the action of the water upon the valves ol o2 forms a direct and reliable source of power to alternate the steam-valves at the proper time.

I claim as my inventionl. The chain or iiexible connection F, carrying the induction-valves o1 o2, and causing them to move simultaneously, and also to operate the steam-controlling means e1 e2, arranged substantially as herein specified.

2. rEhe combination and arrangement of the chain F, valves el e2 o1 02, and pulleys l v? h1 h2 so as to operate relatively to each other and to the water and steam chambers Al A2 and the connected passages, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof` I have hereunto sct my hand this 18th day of May, 1572, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' G. H. HALL.

Witnesses:

ARNOLD HRMANN, W. C.' DEY. 

